Holes In The Floor Of Heaven
by ThisDivaLovesMattHardy
Summary: My idea of a way that Nick and Sara could have met if there was no CSI. Kind of strange, yes, but I came to me one day and I decided to run with it...


Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from CSI that are mentioned in this story. I do not own the song, which is called "Holes In The Floor Of Heaven" and is performed by Steve Wariner.

Summary: My idea of a way that Nick and Sara could have met if there was no CSI. Kind of strange, yes, but I came to me one day and I decided to run with it...

... so here I go.

_**One day shy of eight years old**_

_**My grandma passed away**_

_**I was a broken-hearted little boy **_

_**Blowin' out that birthday cake**_

A young boy, about eight years old, walked out the back door of his house and sat on a patio chair. There was a crowd of his closest relatives around him. The boy's mother came through the crowd of people carrying a cake that bore the message "Happy 8th Birthday Nick!" The rest of the cake was adorned in sports equipment.

"Ready, Nicky?" his mother asked.

"Blow out your candles!"

"Make a wish!"

Eight year old Nick Stokes stared around at the members of his family. He sighed then thought to himself, 'I wish Grandma was still here.' He sighed again, then blew on the candles halfheartedly.

_**How I cried when the sky let go**_

_**With a cold and lonesome rain**_

_**Momma smiled, said 'Don't be sad, child,**_

_**Grandma's watchin' you today…'**_

As soon as he blew out the candles, rain started to pour. Nick looked up at the sky, and his eyes started to fill with tears. He jumped up and ran inside to his bedroom, where he sat on his bed as tears started to flood his cheeks. His mom came in a short while later.

"What's the matter, Nicky?" his mom asked.

"I - I," sobbed Nick, "I miss my grandma."

"I know," his mom said, putting her arm around his shoulders. "You know she's watching from up above, don't you? She's sad she couldn't be here, look…" she said, pointing out the window. "She's crying."

'_**Cause there's holes in the floor of Heaven**_

_**And her tears are pourin' down. **_

_**That's how you know she's watchin'**_

_**Wishin' she could be here now.**_

_**And sometimes if you're lonely**_

_**Just remember she can see**_

_**There's holes in the floor of Heaven**_

_**And she's watchin' over you and me.**_

_**Seasons come and seasons go,**_

_**Nothing stays the same.**_

_**I grew up, fell in love, **_

_**Met a girl who took my name.**_

"Can I get you something to drink?" the bartender asked.

"Yeah, I'll have an iced tea," Nick Stokes sighed as he wiped sweat from his forehead. He and his friends had just finished line-dancing _((Girly, I know, but hey- he's from Texas!)) _to a Brooks & Dunn classic, "Boot Scootin' Boogie". The next thing he knows a pretty brunette takes the seat next to him.

"Hey, you really ripped it up out there," she said.

As soon as Nick looked up, his dark brown eyes met hers. "Uh.. Thanks," he smiled. "Nick Stokes."

"Sara Sidle," she said with a small smile.

The two sat talking for an hour like old friends… talking about nothing in particular, just talking. Their conversation was suddenly broken, however, by the beginning melody of "You Had Me From Hello", by Kenny Chesney.

"Oh my gosh! This is the best song ever!" Sara exclaimed.

Nick smiled, and took her hand. "Ma'am, may I have this dance?"

"Of course," Sara smiled as he led her toward the dance floor. She placed her hands on his wide shoulders and he placed his hands gently on her hips as the lyrics began.

"One word, that's all you said… somethin' in your voice caused me to turn my head… your smile just captured me… you're in my future far as I can see…" Nick smiled at her, looking into her eyes; which were rapidly filling with tears.

"You're so sweet!" she gasped, as one small tear trickled down her cheek.

Nick smiled at her. He took a pen from his pocket, and wrote his number on her palm, then closed her hand. "I've gotta go," he said, "call me." Nick kissed her hand and started to move away, holding onto her hand until her could no longer reach. As he turned away, he saw her eyes filling with tears again.

Later, Nick was sitting in his bed, watching television. All of a sudden, his cell phone starts ringing.

"Hello," he says.

"You told me to call, so I did," Sara said.

"Yeah," Nick smiled to himself. "Listen, Sara, I… I… I have to…. I have to ask you something."

"Yeah? What's up?"

"Will you… well… will you…" he asked, unable to finish.

"Will I what?" Sara persisted.

"Sara Sidle, will you marry me?"

He could hear her tears fall over the phone, then her voice. "Are you serious?"

"Ever since I met you, I've never been more sure of anything. Like Mr. Chesney put it so well, you had me from hello," Nick confessed, silent tears falling down his face.

"Nick Stokes, I would love to marry you! This is the most romantic thing that's ever happened to me!" Sara cried.

Nick cried even harder. "I love you, Sara…"

"I love you, too…"

_**Year by year we made a life**_

_**In this sleepy little town**_

_**I thought we'd grow old together**_

_**Lord I sure do miss her now..**_

_It's eight years after Sara becomes Mrs. Nick Stokes. They have a daughter, Chesney (yes after Kenny Chesney!), who is 13._

"Bye, hon. I'm taking Chesney to school and then I'm off to work," Sara said as she pecked Nick on the lips.

"Eeww! Get a room!" Chesney said as she rolled her eyes, grabbed her backpack, and walked out to the car.

"Bye!" Sara laughed as she tapped Nick on the shoulder and followed her daughter.

At ten o'clock that morning, the phone rings. "Hello?" Nick answered.

"Hey, Nick, it's Brooke. Sara didn't show up for work yet, is she there?"

"No… she and Chesney left around the time they usually do. I'll try her cell, and get back to you," he said.

"Okay, thanks Nick," she said, and hung up.

Nick hit the phone's 'OFF' button. Before he had a chance to call Sara on her cell phone, his home phone rang again.

"Hello," he said.

"Nick Stokes?" said a male voice.

"Yes," Nick replied, "who is this?"

"I'm a paramedic with the McGraw county police department. I've got some bad news. Your wife, Sara, was killed in a traffic accident. I'm sorry."

"I - you - oh my god," Nick stuttered.

"I'm so very sorry. Our investigators will be in contact with you for more details. Again, I'm sorry."

"Yeah…" Nick said as he clicked off the line. It was a couple of hours until reality really set in, and he fell apart. He dried his tears as he drove to Chesney's school. Dads were supposed to be tough, right?….

"Hey, Dad!" Chesney said as she dropped into the passenger's seat.

"Hey," he said, and tried to smile but that just made him cry again. She looked so much like her mom. When Chesney looked at him, he started to tear up again, so he looked away.

"What's the matter? Why are you crying!"

"Your…. Your….there was an accident involving your mom's car. She, uh, she didn't make it," Nick said, tears falling down his face.

"Are you…? You're not….? Oh my god! Mom!" Chesney cried.

Nick put his arm around his daughter's shoulders as they drove away.

"So… so what - what happened, exactly?" Chesney asked through her tears.

"I don't really know. The paramedics just called this morning and told me she'd died. The guy said they'd call when they know more," Nick told her.

"I can't believe this happened!" Chesney said angrily, a fresh wave of tears flooding her cheeks.

"Me neither. It'll be alright," he said as they pulled into the driveway of the Stokes' home. Chesney ran inside and up to her room. Nick didn't see her again all day.

"Why, why did you leave me, Sara?" he said, more to himself than to anyone or anything else. Every time he though of the wife he'd lost so suddenly, he wanted to cry. As soon as he'd gotten the news of her death, it was as if someone had ripped something really important right out of him.

'_**Cause there's holes in the floor of Heaven**_

_**And her tears are pourin' down. **_

_**That's how you know she's watchin'**_

_**Wishin' she could be here now.**_

_**And sometimes if you're lonely**_

_**Just remember she can see**_

_**There's holes in the floor of Heaven**_

_**And she's watchin' over you and me.**_

_**Well my little girl is 23**_

_**I walk her down the aisle**_

_**It's a shame her mom can't be here now**_

_**To see her lovely smile…**_

"Chesney, you look as beautiful as your mother did on our wedding day," Nick said, beaming at his radiant daughter.

"Dad! Don't - you're making me blush!" Chesney said.

"Well…. Good luck. Let's go," Nick said, taking her arm. They stood right outside the chapel doors. When they heard 'Here Comes The Bride' and saw the chapel doors open, their conversation was cut short. Nick and his daughter started down the aisle.

About halfway to the front of the church, Nick noticed his daughter had tears in her eyes.

"What's the matter, Ches?" he asked.

"I - I wish mom were here," she said, a silent tear falling down her cheek.

"You know she's watching down on you, though, don't you?"

"Yeah… I just wish… I just wish she could be here, you know?"

"I know, its too bad.." Nick said, fighting tears himself as they reached the altar. He looked into his daughter's eyes, which were rapidly filling with tears again, and kissed her cheek. Then he stepped to the side as the groom stepped up to take his place.

'_**Cause there's holes in the floor of Heaven**_

_**And her tears are pourin' down. **_

_**That's how you know she's watchin'**_

_**Wishin' she could be here now.**_

_**And sometimes if you're lonely**_

_**Just remember she can see**_

_**There's holes in the floor of Heaven**_

**_And she's watchin' over you and me._**


End file.
